Roman Imperial Senate
The Roman Imperial Senate (commonly known as the Senate domestically and Roman Senate internationally) is the legislative and advisory body governing, alongside the Emperor, the Roman Empire. It currently sits in the Curia Augusta and comprises of 269 members. Currently, the United Rome Party has control of the Lower Senate, while its archrival the Conservative Party has control of the Upper Senate. This has led many bills proposed by the URP in the Lower Senate to be voted down in the Upper Senate because of the large numbers of Conservative members. History From the establishment of the Roman Empire to the death of Emperor Augustus XIV, the Emperor held absolute power over the Imperial Senate, so it was, in essence, a legislative body that existed only in name. However, after the death of Augustus XIV and the accession of his son Constantine XXI, the Senate and Emperor made the decision to have the Empire transition into the form of a constitutional monarchy. Because of this, a constitution was written. This constitution stated that the Senate, though still under the power of the Emperor, was able to advise and guide the actions of the ruling monarch. Henceforth, the Senate gained more power, while the Emperor's was slightly diminished. Constantine died suddenly in 1854, three years after ascending to the throne. The absence of any blood heirs or a will compelled the Consuls to take leadership of the Empire. The Consuls decreed that in order for another Emperor to be crowned, an election was required. This decree was worked into the Constitution to form the first revision. The Senate was given the power to elect a new Emperor from its own ranks, and also had the right to force the Emperor to abdicate if necessary. However, during Constantine XXII's rule, he rewrote the Constitution in 1979, stripping the Imperial Senate of its powers, and in 1982 he revised it again, abolishing the Senate completely and restoring the absolute monarchy of the Empire. The new Constitution of 1982 also stated that only Constantine XXII's descendants could become Emperor. In 1991, Constantine XXII became extremely ill with cancer, and though he remained the official head of state and government, in reality his Secretary of State, Antonius Felius, became the true leader of the Empire. During Felius' tenure as Emergency Regent, which lasted fourteen years, he slowly removed Constantine's layers of power that the Emperor had built up for himself. Felius eventually, upon Constantine's death, used his absolute power as Regent for one final act: he declared the Constitutional revisions of 1979 and 1982 void, and that the Constitution of 1942 would be restored. He then resigned from office. The reestablished Senate made Felius Consul of the Lower Senate, which he remained until his death in 2008. In modern times, the Senate has much more constitutional power than it did under the original constitution. All laws were proposed by a Government, which was voted into power by the populace of the Empire. This government's leader, the Prime Minister, would share the role of head of government with the Emperor. All laws proposed by the Government have to be approved via a majority vote by both the Upper and Lower Senates, and it is the Senate that elects a new Emperor upon the death of the previous one. Membership Notable members *Augustus XV - Emperor of Rome *Adrianus Molunus - Consul of the Lower Senate *Antonius Markus - Consul of the Upper Senate *Mark Altius - Prime Minister *Friedrich Schutayer - Leader of the Opposition in the Lower Senate *Michael Benz - Leader of the Government in the Upper Senate *Charles Heinz - Leader of the Opposition in the Upper Senate *Eva Ralisia - Minister for Foreign Affairs *Karl Renck - Minister for Health *Rudolf Meyerbach - Minister for Defence Category:Legislative bodies Category:Roman Empire Category:Romanum Universes